Confusion surrounding the relations between Kenya and Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) appeared to deepen after President William Ruto deleted the tweet denouncing the country.
Less than an hour after the announcement on Wednesday, September 14, the tweet was pulled down. The president had made the declaration after a meeting with Morocco's King, His Majesty Mohammed VI, where he denounced Sahrawi as an independent state from Morocco.
The president had also affirmed that Kenya would eliminate the entity's presence by shutting down the embassy located in Kilimani, Nairobi.
"At State House in Nairobi, received a congratulatory message from His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Kenya rescinds its recognition of the SADR and initiates steps to wind down the entity’s presence in the country."
"Kenya supports the United Nations framework as the exclusive mechanism to find a lasting solution of the dispute over Western Sahara," the president stated in the tweet that was deleted minutes later.
The kingdom of Morocco had welcomed Ruto's decision- noting that it would work in strengthening the diplomatic relations between the two countries in the next six months.
Morocco also sought Kenya to open its embassy in Rabat.
In particular, both countries highlighted key bilateral areas such as fishing, agriculture as well as fertiliser imports, which would be strengthened. Morocco is regarded as one of the world's top fertiliser exporters.
Before the announcement made by president Ruto, SADR's President Brahim Ghali had joined other delegates at the Head of State's inauguration ceremony at Kasarani Stadium.
Kenya had been among 41 United Nations (UN) member states that recognised Sahrawi as a state and championed an end to its conflict with Morocco.
SADR has been seeking to transition from its current semi-autonomous state into a full-blown state for over four decades. Morocco, however, controls 80 percent of the land and seeks the country to be under its rule.
